Teen Book of the Month: The Extinction Trials

Earthasia is full. It is overflowing, in fact: humans inhabit every square inch above the ground. As the population continues to expand, the government become increasingly desperate to find a solution to their food crisis. With no resources left at home they are forced to look outwards to the continent of Piloria for a solution.

In return for healthcare and extra rations, citizens can volunteer for expeditions to Piloria to seek out new food sources, but precious few return. With rations reaching dangerously low levels, the government needs to seek out a more permanent solution to the problem. But who are the real enemies here?

S M Wilson brings her dystopian world to life in vivid colour in this gripping narrative of two young people fighting for survival in a viciously dangerous world. Action packed from start to finish, this book is a real page-turner for fans of fantasy, dystopia and, well, dinosaurs!

Q&A with S M Wilson

The dystopian world of The Extinction Trials is fully realised and rich with detail. Do you have any tips on building amazing fictional worlds?

It always has to be ‘let your mind run riot’. For both continents I just closed my eyes and imagined the scenes in my head. Colour is the first thing I always think of, and for Earthasia the world was bland and grey, and for Piloria it was lush, green and popping with colour. I wanted the people who landed there to be overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and smells of the dinosaur continent and that's what I tried to portray.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the dinosaur element of the book?

There is no greater pleasure than flicking through a dinosaur encyclopaedia and searching for a creature to eat a character! Honestly, it's so much fun. I have over twenty dinosaur books in my household and I followed up some online research by emailing the Natural History Museum in New York, which I'd already visited. What I love most about dinosaurs is that a lot of what we know about them we 'presume'. We think we know their hunting habits and how they interacted, but the fact is, we weren't around so can't really be sure about everything. That gives me lots of leeway to let my imagination run wild again!

Do you have any plans for a sequel to The Extinction Trials?

The sequel to The Extinction Trials is already written. It's called Exile and comes out this summer. Expect lots more dinosaurs!

Competition

We have 5 copies of The Extinction Trials to be won! To be in with a chance of winning one, just answer the question below. The competition closes on Wednesday 31 January 2018 at 5pm. All entrants must reside in the UK.